THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[maro]

[maro]

[cg916]

[g.smiley]

[p_maldini_3]

[pocari_fenrir]

fucking christ, anyone else excited by the news that Dossena may be leaving??

[Jamoldo]

No. Only if we have a shot at bidding for him, realistically.

Thank god we won the derby. We might suck, it might have been ugly, but its the derby, a league win and 3 points in the bag.

[Jamoldo]

[RomaShield27]

[maro]

I've just managed to drag myself out of bed, 'moldy. I'm sick as a dog and wondering quite how I'm going to get through the pile of marking ear-marked for today. What a weekend, though, eh? Great results for the two greatest teams in the world, eh Edzo?

[RomaShield27]

Ah, so here he is at last. I was expecting a bit more from you, Il Professore. Still, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, after a performance and victory like that you gotta hold your hands up and say, hey, Roma are a quality team. Those Kiwi's are still shite though. Ah no, just kidding. There was a good article in the Sunday Independent (the Irish one) yesterday about why us Irish always put ourselves in such a competitive state against great teams like the Kiwi's and why we struggle to acknowledge how good a side they really are, and there is no shame in losing to the best rugby side in the world (although not in World Cups). We gave it a good shot but could never really settle and the difference was your boys superior skills and running with the ball, and you gotta take your hat of to them. We're still in a slightly transitional period with a new coaching team and a good array of young players so we'll get there. RoG was better than Caaaarrrta though.

[maro]

Yes, Edzo, I was surprised that your boys were so far off the pace, really. There are some good players in that Irish team, but they just didn't really seem ever able to match the physicality and athleticism of the ABs. Perhaps they needed a rainy day after all. Your line-out has gone backwards over the past 3 or 4 years too, and that used to be where you could really turn the screw on us. I think probably the only thing Ronan O'G suggested he can do better than DC is cut oranges on that performance. The thing that most struck me was that a good Ireland side could get beaten at home by 19 points with the ABs going away, really. When Ireland do finally beat the ABs, I bet it will be by a couple of points; the thought that they might beat us by 20 points in New Zealand, though, is just inconceivable, really, which suggests there remains a pretty fundamental gulf (a much bigger one than I'd have believed, to be honest). The Munster game should be a cracking occasion. I don't know if you read or heard Richie McCaw's comments on the Croke Park crowd. If only football had the same culture of respect that rugby still has (laziocuntingmerda excluded, naturally).

[RomaShield27]

No I haven't read McCaw's comments, was he praising the crowd and atmosphere? It was electric alright in the first-half (although clearly not as good compared to when the mighty Dubs play there) but obviously a bit more subdued in the second. The D4 heads were giving it loads alright (rugby in Dublin is really a great divide between Northsiders, who don't usually play or support the game and are more GAA folk, or them Southsiders (D4 heads, very posh), where its the most popular sport). Croker is quite the stadium for creating an atmosphere. I don't know about the Munster game, it will be a unique occasion alright but none of Munster's Irish international contingent will be playing and I'd imagine your boys will be fielding a B team of sorts, so that will take away from it a little, but there should be a special atmosphere and sense of occasion there too. Ireland may never have beaten the Kiwi's, but need I remind you of the last time the All Blacks travelled down to play the Munster men? It wasn't so much a victory as an annihilation which has entered Irish folklore (google 'Alone it Stands').

[maro]

Here, Edzo (towards the bottom of the article):
http://www.planetrugby.com/Story/0,1825 ... 17,00.html

I don't think you need to remind too many Kiwis of that occasion in Irish folk-lore. It must have been an extraordinary occasion to be at and even if the sides aren't top-drawer for this game, the occasion will be special.

[RomaShield27]

Panucci: That was for Franco
http://www.channel4.com/sport/football_ ... ov17a.html – Monday 17 November, 2008

Roma defensive veteran dedicated last night's derby win over Lazio to late President Franco Sensi. The Giallorossi claimed a crucial 1-0 win to relieve the pressure on Coach Luciano Spalletti thanks to a Julio Baptista header. It was an emotional evening with Lazio mourning fan Gabriele Sandri, who was killed by a policeman last year, and Roma remembering ex-chief Sensi, who passed away last August.

“I want to dedicate this victory to our fans and also to Franco Sensi,â€

[maro]

RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:53 pm Yes sorry Giozo, just missed that. I was thinking of doing that, or making it only showing a few shouts
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:53 pm Eliminate the shoutbox.
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:52 pm Tomzo, I wonder should we reduce the number of visible shouts again? Say if it were at 10 perhaps we would post more in the threads than in the SB? That would be better for conversation and for others who aren't currently online to join in later? What you all think?
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:52 pm Alright, lets move to the forum. Edzo, just ellimate the shoutbox.
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:50 pm Some good conversation here gents. Its times like this when I think this Shoutbox is a bad idea – these are quality posts which will soon be lost for others when they come online and are really more suited to being posts in the Roma thread, say (remember how busy that used to be?), and as a result it can look like the forum is quieter than it actually is.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:49 pm You know I personally think Menez has alot of talent. He should have buried that ball on the counter yesterday. Alessio Cerci has similar qualities from a talent standpoint but we have seen so little of him that it's tough to know where he is from a maturity standpoint.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:47 pm Are you familiar with Franco Battiato Tomasso? An interesting guy and not your typical music artist. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIQ4Wvk0 ... re=related
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:47 pm Yes, though everyone knew that the sending off was the worst thing which could have happened to us. Besides, if Menez had tucked that chance away it would have been all a fair bit easier on the nerves and would have shown we know how to sit deep and play on the counter.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:45 pm Totti was a doubt for the game. He is at around 60% right now and he is not my biggest concern. The lack of scoring chances and our shoddy defense. My God Tomasso when lazie went down a man they were all over us and were really unlucky not to score. Mexes saved the day as well as Doni.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:41 pm He needs players running off him and there's a risk with this formation that the front three get left to make things happen on their own.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:40 pm He only bothers with a glass when the ex-ex is watching. That is true, Avvocato, though it also goes the other way too. Totti was very quiet yesterday, really, and I worry slightly that that's an effect of the formation as much as of his fitness.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:38 pm I am reading the news on the game yesterday, and it's amazing how a win masks the weaknesses on the team. We had chances to put the game away but instead, we nearly let them draw even.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:34 pm Don't forget the glass of Bulmers.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:32 pm Let me know, Avvocato. If you see a little man, about 14 inches tall, say, in a green suit, the chances are it's Edzo over from Ireland on business. grasso tells me Edzo's pretty easy to recognise.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:29 pm As far as my son, right now we are not sure which when he will be going. He is in accelerated program which does not give him much freedom in the first 2 years.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:27 pm I may have something to do in London. I will let you know.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:25 pm Have you got a little work over this way on the horizon? It looks as though we're going to go back to Oz over Easter next year to see the family and the new nephew, particularly, which means no trip to Rome then but perhaps some time in Italy later in the summer when you'll be there settling your boy in.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:24 pm Definitely Tomasso. I get the sensation that we may meet up in England before Italy.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:21 pm Yes, Avvocato, that shared bottle of brunello is sorely overdue.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:19 pm Well, Avvocato, what would you expect from a bleeding hearted liberal? The cats contribute nothing to the household economy but suck the
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:18 pm You know Tom, you are a good man. Quite honestly, I hope I have the pleasure of meeting you one day.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:17 pm Let me say that again without the typo's. We have witnessed the shortest response by Tomasso in history. He must really like those pets of the devil.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:17 pm Smile
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:16 pm Gentlmen, we have witnessed in succession the shortest respone ever posted by Tomasso in history.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:16 pm No.
p_Maldini_3[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:16 pm Give them a kick for me then.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:15 pm No.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:15 pm How touching. Let me be honest. I hate cats. So give both of yours a kick for me.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:09 pm Not surprised, Avvocato? Actually, we've only had her for a few months. We've stolen her from someone in the neighbourhood, I think. She came around 4 or 5 months ago with a hurt leg so we looked after her and now she's settled in for the long haul. We actually have two cats, really, as she has a friend who often pops around too, though this other one clearly has another home too as she often turns up stinking of cheap perfume and disappears for stretches of time.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 6:06 pm Tomasso has a cat. Let me just say that I am not surprised.
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:25 pm lol, go 'tec. I should of said calling your 'pet' sheep your pussy is taking things too far.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:20 pm Edzo, you've gone too far this time. I do call the cat 'mouse' at times, but never 'sheep'. She's now hiding behind the curtain on the window sill so the keyboard is all mine for a moment. I think she's trying to tell me it's time for dinner, even though we both know it isn't.
vtec[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:12 pm he calls his sheep his pussy, as that's all he's gonna get in marriage, and cat's just another word for that
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:11 pm Maro, all kidding aside, calling your 'pet' sheep a cat is taking things a little to far now, no?
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:11 pm She is nothing if not demanding.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:10 pm I can't really type much because every time I try the cat decides she wants a go and takes over the keyboard.
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:10 pm Lazy Lazi...? Perhaps. I thought we deserved the win, and if we rode our luck a little, what of it, weren't we due some after last week?
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:09 pm I get back to you Tomasso. I am wanted on the phone.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:08 pm Well, because it was lazi, yes, it was sweet. Particularly becasue their fans actually think they have a team this year.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:07 pm Yes, we were lucky, but that didn't make it any less sweet, no?
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:07 pm We were damn lucky to get that victory. As usual, we make a team playing with 10 men look like world beaters.
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:07 pm I work harder than you do, Edzo. That's what he's implying. You're a lazy fecker and are usually at home with your feet up in this stripey woollen socks the ex-ex knitted for you last Christmas.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:05 pm Tomasso is usually around however.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:04 pm I'm implying Edzo that you are usually offline around this time of the day.
RomaShield27[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:03 pm If it is a holiday no one told me, the fecks. What are you implying, Giovanni?
maro[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 5:02 pm I've decided to take a holiday in celebration of our fine victory last night. It was the appropriate thing to do, I thought.
Italiamia[ Delete ]
Mon Nov 17, 2008 4:51 pm What's going on in Europe gentlemen. It's not a holiday today is it?

[RomaShield27]

Nice one Tomzo. Lads, I was just suggesting we remove – well perhaps not remove but reduce – the Shoutbox, as its sort of taking over a bit from the flow of good posting here in the infamous Tan dei Lupi (III), and I was remembering how back on Goal (the first one) or on previous forums we've been on the convo's used to be flowing here with all sorts going on. It would be nice to have it back in full flow, no?

[RomaShield27]

Baptista keeps his cool as Roma finally ignite
Julio Baptista may not have slept with 700 women like Antonio Cassano but he scored when it mattered in the Rome derby

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... l-baptista



In the week before his first Rome derby, Julio Baptista knew one question was going to crop up sooner or later. "I think he exaggerated," opined Baptista when asked if he knew anything about Antonio Cassano's claim to have slept with 700 women - made in his new autobiography. "I certainly haven't reached that number." Nor does Baptista, a former team-mate of Cassano's, have any intention of playing catch-up, apparently, as he is now happily engaged. Which is a shame, really, because after scoring the only goal in Roma's 1-0 win over Lazio last night, he may find the number of women (and probably men, too) throwing themselves at him in the city has significantly increased.

"For weeks it has been said that all of the signings made in the summer were mistakes," trumpets Alessandro Vocalelli in this morning's Corriere dello Sport. "Evidently this is not the case." Baptista has been hampered by niggly injuries since arriving from Real Madrid for €9m in the summer, and before yesterday had failed to convince fans of his worth despite scoring three times. How quickly a goal in the Derby della Capitale can turn these things around.

Before the game Roma captain Francesco Totti had insisted this match would be decided by "heart" and "passion", but in the end Baptista's ability to view the fixture as "just another game" may have been his greatest asset. Totti, who hadn't played in a derby win since 2003, did provide the cross from which Baptista powered his header past Juan Pablo Carrizo early in the second half, but up until that point the game had undeniably been a cagey and nervous affair in which both teams threatened only sporadically.

Baptista pointed out both before and after the game that he had scored in big rivalries before - most notably for Real Madrid against Barcelona - and had also done so against Lazio, whilst playing for Madrid in the Champions League. The greatest significance of this game for him was as an opportunity to show both Roma manager Luciano Spalletti and the home support - he had not previously scored at home for the Giallorossi - that he deserved a place in the team.

He achieved that much and in doing so may also have helped convince Spalletti that his team may be best served by continuing with the 4-4-2 (or 4-3-1-2, or even 4-1-2-1-2, depending on how you look at it) formation they have been using in recent weeks. Baptista has always maintained that he is happiest playing as a trequartista, and looks the perfect fit as the forward point in the "rhombus" midfield Spalletti is now experimenting with. It was in a similar role that he scored 50 goals in two seasons for Sevilla between 2003 and 2005. Perhaps best of all, the formation has allowed Mirko Vucinic to move in from the wing and play in his natural position as a striker alongside Totti. Vucinic came the closest to scoring for Roma before Baptista - seeing a header clawed away by Carrizo less than 20 minutes in - and looks far more comfortable and effective playing through the middle.

Roma are a long way from being out of the woods, of course, and yesterday's win lifts them only to 17th. The squad remains paper thin, and Simone Perrotta's sending off late in yesterday's game does Spalletti no favours. Totti was once again brought off before full-time and is still short of 100%. He continues to receive extra treatment during training and probably won't be fully fit until after the winter break.

For all that injuries appear to have been cruel to Roma, though, it must also be asked whether these problems are in some part the result of the club's training methods. Ludovic Giuly said after leaving the club that Roma trained harder than any other team he had played for, and Baptista concurred this week, though he was quick to add: "I don't know if there's any relationship with injuries." What Baptista does know is that he's happy to be somewhere that he's wanted again after three seasons in and out of the first teams at Arsenal and Real Madrid. "This evening is magic, the night I was dreaming of," he reflected yesterday. Beats "sex plus food" at any rate.

[RomaShield27]

lol, check him out. Would you mess with this m'fucker. I mean Mexes is not exactly a small bloke himself:




Loadsa' cool photos:
http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/all/2?q=roma

[Italiamia]

My concern when my team is in crisis is the players maintaining a good attitude. It's tough for fans and players when the team is losing but it's harder for the players to see nothing good come of their efforts.

The thing about Roma is that the fans maybe the most critical in earth, but there is no more loyal fan base on this earth and I defy anyone to challenge that fact. Our fans inject something into the players that is not quantifiable. It is a love for a team that has history as its backdrop everytime they take to the pitch. We have emotional landmarks in Rome that serve as the life blood of the city like the Tiber itself. We are emotional fans and that emotion comes from a passion for our city and its history. We are protective of our city and we feel we are the stewards of the land upon which these landmarks have rested for thousands of years.

Any player that comes to Roma and who has an ounce of emotion in his body realises this immediately. I think Baptista has been bitten by the bug and it's good to see. This is what I mean when I say Roma transcends the generations. It is not so much that your father was a fan because his father was a fan and his father before him was a fan. It is the light of Rome itself that makes us what we are as fans and individuals. You can't define that light.. It is a feeling, an emotion that you can almost measure and it is something that no other fan base can boast.